Animated Atrocities 71
Summary No it has nothing to do with Rugrats. Or human decency. Mr. Enter: If there was only 1 thing that I could tell the entire animation industry, it would be that there's more to adult cartoons than shock humor. Every time a new adult cartoon pops up, it seems to do the exact, same, damn thing: purposely try to offend people by spouting stupid ideas just to piss them off, and top it off with as much sex, gore, and raunch as possible. You know, Adult Swim passed on Problem Solverz because it said that it was too cute for them. After watching Mr. Pickles, I believe that statement. It's funny when people tell me, 'It's just a kid's cartoon', as an excuse for a show being crap, because it's getting to the point where I'm almost willing to say that being an adult cartoon is an excuse for being crap. The problem is really getting to be that bad. Not every adult cartoon is terrible. Obviously. I reviewed at least 2 of them positively, and there are plenty of others that I'll get to sooner or later. But, to the point at hand, I honestly don't see what separates a show like Allen Gregory from a show like Brickleberry. Here's the difference to me: one of them died 6 episodes in, and the other one is going on today, and is enormously popular because I don't know. And that's not a joke either. I legitimately don't know! If people like Brickleberry, a show that is made off shock humor and random instances of sex, then by all means, there is no reason not to like Allen Gregory. There might be a reason to not like Mr. Pickles, though, because this shit is ugly! It is one of the ugliest cartoons that I've ever seen. And that's not what they're showing, but how badly it's animated. What I think that the logic is, is that the show is good at what it wants to do; in this case, being as shocking as possible, then it's a good show. That's like saying a murderer is a good person because he was good at murdering, and that's what he wanted to do. And in that scenario, this show is like a BAD murderer, because it's not shocking. Adult Party Cartoon was shocking; this show is BORING! How can I say that with all the fucked up shit that happens in this cartoon? Let's find out! The episode starts with... I really don't fucking know. There's a guy trying to talk with his girlfriend, I think, when a dog runs up. Lurlene: I need to tell you somethin'... Boyfriend: It's OK, Lurlene. I found your punch card; I know they're fake! Patrick: WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?! Mr. Enter: This is the first episode of the show. You should be giving me some information about why the fuck I care about these characters. And that's something this show never does! I'm never given any reason to care and that's one of the biggest problems shock shows like this have: you cannot relate to anything. Yes, the bozo here is losing his girlfriend, but he's too stupid to care! And you know what, they're not even the main characters of the episode! They barely qualify as background characters! Then some guy dressed in leather runs up. When they drive off, our titular Mr. Pickles tears off his nipples and sends him falling down a cliff. If you're like, oh I don't know, 95% of the population, this is the point where good taste would dictate you turning the channel. But since it's my job, I suppose we'll go on. We're hit with the theme song. I'm not the biggest fan of metal, but it sounds like the most stereotypical thing ever. song When I think of metal, this is what you'd hear if it was watered down about 3 times. And Mr. Pickles is Satanic. That's the joke. That's the entire joke! That is the only joke with him! We cut to see that the entire family is drinking soy milk, because they're cow is supposed to be pregnant. Alright, one of the things that this show in general tries to do is take typical 50s America, to subvert it as much as possible. It doesn't work because every fucking time you can predict the joke! Mr. Goodman: I've read that soy has estrogen in it. Tommy: What's that? Mr. Goodman: Well, it's what makes a lady a lady. Mrs. Goodman: A little soy milk isn't going to turn anybody into a lady. Mr. Enter: Guess the joke! Then the dog starts fondling the mother's breasts. Someone on the writing staff has unresolved issues. What do you want me to say? It's not funny. Oh, God, what the fuck is that thing?! Oh th-that's just their design for old people. Couldn't have given it, like, 5 minutes? Alright, this guy here lost his shoe because he caught Mr. Pickles huffing gas. When he tried to stop Mr. Pickles, he was chloroformed and he ended up at Mr. Pickles fetish party. Then Mr. Pickles starts cutting people up and putting their heads on his paws. Then he drove the man into a farm and stole his shoe. And nobody cares. No, that's not even being funny, no one in the episode actually cares. Where do I begin? Let's start with the obvious: it's not funny! This is going to be a running gag throughout the series, where Mr. Pickles does some fucked-up shit to this guy and no one believes him. It's not going to be funny once. No matter how long the series runs. Do you know why it's not going to be funny? Because it was never funny when Back at the Barnyard did it. Remember that show that everyone hated? One of the most sterile and stupid cartoons ever made? Apparently, if you take a failed joke from a kids show, inject some fucked-up imagery, and it's gold. All I'm saying is Barnyard failed, and this seems to be taking off. Tommy sees the farmer's daughter and thinks that he's in love. Meanwhile, Pickles constantly looks like he's ready to start humping everything in sight. Another thing: the innocent-looking whatever turning out to be evil; a monster; destructive, has been done beyond all belief. Also, Tommy has splints because...subversive? I really don't know why. I think it's an attempt to make a cripple joke without anyone making a cripple joke. You know, those jokes that Family Guy uses when Joe's around and they can't think of anything else. Gross udders, gross milk shit being squirted at Tommy. She rejects him and tells Tommy to get a job. He gets Mr. Pickles to come along. Oh you saw some of that stuff in the background? Yeah, that's right: the Mr. Pickles that this show is named after is pretty much a background character! He's on the same level of importance as Snowball 2. At least in this episode. Tommy's father decides to have a pointless subplot where a woman constantly extorts him and is treated as...oh I can't fucking do this. Mr. Pickles, do you really want me to get offended? I can't be offended if I can't fucking care. You've given me no characters to gravitate to. Your setting never started anywhere sane or rational. Your jokes never made me laugh because each and every one of them is stupid and predictable. There was no effort and no potential for anything. You started me off with characters that we will never see again. You have a concept that's barely utilized. Your animation is lazy and off-putting. Give me one reason that I should care either way about your existence. Back to Tommy's plot! He wants a job and so this old man offers to give him jobs, but more of the risque sort. Yeah, Tommy's big job is a boob job. Hahahahaha. A kid, who is forced to get a job, and hasn't acted like a typical kid once, is forced into something completely adult. You see: YOU CANNOT SUBVERT ANYTHING WHEN THERE'S NOTHING TO SUBVERT!! That's why the Simpsons took off; that's why Family Guy took off; that's why South Park took off. They managed to show something typical and subvert it. But you can't do the latter when you haven't done the former! Then we see a hideous saleswoman trying to sell a baby doll. My God, this episode is 11 minutes long. How many plots are there?? This plot is immediately forgotten when the grandfather finds his shoe up the cow's birth canal. Maybe I'd care if you spend some time with something. Establish a character, or a conflict, or something. If not, 22 minutes is an option! Tommy enters a strip club because what else is he supposed to do? I mean, the only other thing you could possibly do with this plot is to have him go to his parents. And that's what's going to happen later, isn't it? Mr. Pickles does some demonic shit to...save his owner? This doesn't make any sense! Back to Tommy's father's plot, because that was so invigorating. Mr. Goodman: '''Goodbye! '''Woman: But if you don't stay and watch TV show together, I tell them you raped me! Mr. Enter: If it's a joke, it's not funny and if it's serious, it's not insightful! Meanwhile... my god, it's like the show has ADHD or something. Maybe I can't care because IT CAN'T FOCUS! Tommy talks to a drunk bar patron and convinces him that he wants to get married. You can see where this is going. From a mile away. Nice guy from before comes in to find Mr. Pickles's handiwork, and he's out of the story. Meanwhile, the drunk's wife comes to Tommy's mother and says that he's leaving her for a stripper. Then through some more shit, Tommy's mother thinks that her husband is cheating on her. Saleswoman: Is Mr. Goodman cheating on Mrs. Goodman? Mrs. Goodman: '''Linda, please. It's always wrong! '''Mr. Enter: No, it's broken! I mean if you want that to be the joke, then let that be the joke. But if you want it to always say no be the joke, have the smart people realize it! Tommy's mother finds her husband with...predictable. Then the other woman starts chasing her husband. Do I have to play the Benny Hill theme? I suppose I should because all the plots come together like a 5-car pileup. I don't know what the tone of the show is supposed to be, but it's definitely not wacky. Which is the only type of show that could pull this off. Now that we're almost over what are we missing? Um, live birth, cow shit, and Grandpa being birthed out of the cow; a wrap-up that isn't funny, and a call-back to the fetish dungeon. This show is like the worst student in a class: the student that copies off the failing tests of his friends when he couldn't even bother to care. Most of the time his attention is darting from window to window to the obscene shapes he's been drawing in his notebook. He's failing, but he doesn't even care that he's failing, because it's far too late for him to even try to pass. People wonder why adults are watching things like My Little Pony; if this is what adults are supposed to be watching, I'd rather gouge my eyes out. Adult cartoons need some serious help because more often than not, they tend to be like this. Shows like Mr. Pickles crop up when failures thrive. Right now, failures are thriving in adult cartoons. All you need is 22 minutes of shock humor with some social commentary deliberately designed to be edgy, and BAM! You've got yourself a hit. Adult cartoons have the potential to explore the entirety of the human experience. They don't have to be insightful about it, but my God, they need to be at least adult about it! This is another reason why I tend to stick to kids shows; it's not only that I don't like watching this stuff, it's that with the current status quo, I all too often feel like I'm critiquing hentai for porn. I don't feel that this is what adult cartoons are supposed to be like. Disgust is actually a very useful emotion for the storyteller, but it needs context. When left alone, that's all you have, and I've been around the block, and it's not even enough to hold my attention anymore. You can make humor about all the complications of relationships; you don't have to be afraid about tackling any issue, and you could tell stories with layers of allegory. When you have the whole palette of human experience open to you, why do you choose to paint the entire canvas with shit brown? If you're not going to take this seriously, why should I take you seriously, Mr. Pickles? Trivia When looking at the opening scene to Mr. Pickles' debut episode "Tommy's Big Job". Lurleen: I need to tell you something. Lurleen's Boyfriend: It's okay Lurleen, I found your punch card. I know they're fake. Patrick: WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!? Mr. Enter eviscerating Mr. Pickles near the end of the video, while also calling out the problems adult animated shows have been showing off lately knowing that they can be better than what they have been currently showing viewers. This show is like the worst student in a class: the student that copies off the failing tests of his friends when he couldn't even bother to care. Most of the time his attention is darting from window to window to the obscene shapes he's been drawing in his notebook. He's failing, but he doesn't even care that he's failing, because it's far too late for him to even try to pass. People wonder why adults are watching things like My Little Pony; if this is what adults are supposed to be watching, I'd rather gouge my eyes out. Adult cartoons need some serious help because more often than not, they tend to be like this. Shows like Mr. Pickles crop up when failures thrive. Right now, failures are thriving in adult cartoons. All you need is 22 minutes of shock humor with some "social commentary" deliberately designed to be "edgy", and BAM! You've got yourself a hit. Adult cartoons have the potential to explore the entirety of the human experience. They don't have to be insightful about it, but my God, they need to be at least adult about it! This is another reason why I tend to stick to kids shows; it's not only that I don't like watching this stuff, it's that with the current status quo, I all too often feel like I'm critiquing hentai for porn. I don't feel that this is what adult cartoons are supposed to be like. Disgust is actually a very useful emotion for the storyteller, but it needs context. When left alone, that's all you have, and I've been around the block, and it's not even enough to hold my attention anymore. You can make humor about all the complications of relationships; you don't have to be afraid about tackling any issue, and you could tell stories with layers of allegory. When you have the whole palette of human experience open to you, why do you choose to paint the entire canvas with shit brown? If you're not going to take this seriously, why should I take you seriously, Mr. Pickles? * In his Mr. Pickles review, he notes that with its first episode, he already doesn't care about any of the characters shown because they focus more on ones who won't be seen again, rather than showcasing the titular Mr. Pickles or any other main cast members. * His realization that whenever he sees a cartoon with particularly grotesque sexualized Gorn (such as with Mr. Pickles or King Star King) that somewhere, someone is actually masturbating to it. *This episode has no ending credits. **This is the second Animated Atrocity with no credits, after "Fairly OddPet". * In his review of the Mr. Pickles episode "Tommy's Big Job", after he says "And nobody cares." after recounting the story of an elderly person who experienced Mr. Pickles... "shenanigans" first hand, Mr. Enter is quick to point out that literally no-one in the episode cares about this. Category:Animated Atrocities